The MVC in 2019-2020

[BEARZ77]

For those interested I've got a running thread over on the Bear Nation site under the JQH board which has all the Valley teams current rosters as best I know at this point [ will be adding the Bears soon] and will continue to list info about roster changes, scheduling info etc. under each team as those things become known. I did it so our members could have easy access to the full Valley team info in one place as the summer progresses. Anyway some early info of interest is that it appears the Valley will have over 50% new players in the coming year, a huge change in rosters. I include in that number players who transfered and sat last year, and obviously there are transfers this year that we are not sure of eligibility yet given the waiver process and inconsistency in it's application. Among the 70+ new players are 33 domestic HS adds, 23 D-1 transfers[ actually at least 1 is a D-2 transfer] 9 players who played outside the US [including Canadians] and 7 jucos. I won't say my info is totally accurate as I change some points daily as more info becomes available, but it's a pretty good view of the Valley right now and makes it easy to do a little comparing.

[DUBulldog]

For those interested I've got a running thread over on the Bear Nation site under the JQH board which has all the Valley teams current rosters as best I know at this point [ will be adding the Bears soon] and will continue to list info about roster changes, scheduling info etc. under each team as those things become known. I did it so our members could have easy access to the full Valley team info in one place as the summer progresses. Anyway some early info of interest is that it appears the Valley will have over 50% new players in the coming year, a huge change in rosters. I include in that number players who transfered and sat last year, and obviously there are transfers this year that we are not sure of eligibility yet given the waiver process and inconsistency in it's application. Among the 70+ new players are 33 domestic HS adds, 23 D-1 transfers[ actually at least 1 is a D-2 transfer] 9 players who played outside the US [including Canadians] and 7 jucos. I won't say my info is totally accurate as I change some points daily as more info becomes available, but it's a pretty good view of the Valley right now and makes it easy to do a little comparing.

Good stuff....only thing that could make it better would be I'd also like to see who each team lost from last season

[Blers]

Definitely seems like there's been an uptick in recruiting across the Valley!

LU adds
3- high school (2 Illinois/1 Indiana)
2- JuCo's (Vincennes/Paris)
1-eligible D2 transfer (UIndy)
1-D1 transfer that has to sit (Oakland)

[Mikovio]

Link: https://247sports.com/college/missouri- ... 130085393/

Great job. FYI though, Ja'Mir Price is going to prep school this year, and then is promised a scholarship for 2020-2021.

[Adunk33]

You’re right on about Illinois State. Impossible to predict from what they have coming back. You did some great work here. Allow me to provide some edits:
Lijah Donnelly is a RS Jr (transfer from D2 UI-Springfield) He sat out last season.
In your blurb at the bottom you mention Josh Jefferson. He transferred to UW-Green Bay. Sit one, play one. Gassman also left the team to try to get a scholarship elsewhere. ILST brought him in as a PWO and he was awarded a scholarship once or twice because the Birds had one available. It is possible he returns to the team, but unlikely.

I love what we have seen from Chastain and Rey. Both high effort and energy guys. Chastain needs to be more aggressive but his high BBIQ doesn’t allow him to force anything. As far as players we know a lot of what we’re getting based off practices and such that we’ve seen. Abdou N’diaye is kind of a question mark because I’m not ready to believe what I am seeing/hearing. Back last October, we had our “Hoopfest” which kicks off the season. On several occasions Abdou brought the ball up the court and ran some offense-drove to the hole or hit a jumper. Not something I was really expecting at all. I don’t want to get to high on any of the players because a lot of them haven’t played D1 in over a year or at all.

It will be interesting to see what we get out of the incoming freshmen. Horne signed last November and had a pretty good year, taking his team to (I believe) the state semi-finals as their point/combo guard. Miller is a PWO out of Shelbyville that won Area Player of the Year averaging over 27 ppg and 10 rebounds per game. I don’t care what level that impressive. Sissoko reminds me of Mikyle McIntosh with his skill set. He needs some work but he was one of the top 10 players in Iowa. The freshman I am most excited about is Antonio Reeves out of POWERHOUSE Chicago Simeon. He is a combo guard that can shoot the hell out of the ball. I think this freshman class has the opportunity to be the best since Lee, Wills, McIntosh, and Hawkins 5 years ago.

Overall, a lot of question marks. No idea how or if it will translate to wins, but excited about the direction of the program after being handcuffed (pun intended?) to a star who was the team’s engine the past two years.

If I had to pick a way too early starting 5 and bench it would look like: Torres, Copeland, Chastain, N’Daiye, and Fisher.
Off the bench: Boyd, Idowu, Hillsman, Reeves, N’diaye, Horne, Sissoko, Bruninga (been injured), Donnely, Miller.

Probably way off but that’s what late May predictions are for!

[BEARZ77]

Just for clarification, the blurbs at the end of each roster were written at the time I first posted; obviously for a number of players and teams things have changed and while i have updated rosters as that happens, I did not go back yet and change the initial summaries.

[Mikovio]

Some more rankings for BU players:

Kingsby - #17 JUCO recruit (2018) per 247
https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Baske ... iorCollege

Mast - #29 International recruit per Eurocommits
http://www.eurocommits.com/players/rienk-mast/

Nolan - #34 Sit Out Transfer per ESPN
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... 20-2020-21

Ville is a Finn who I can't see is internationally ranked, but was 2nd leading scorer in the FIBA U18 Championship last summer (3rd leading scorer is a Gonzaga commit), and led his Finnish team in scoring this year. He'll turn 19 a month before this summer's FIBA tournament unfortunately so he'll be ineligible to play in it again. His team (HBA Marsky) is in the second Finnish division but it's the same team Markkanen played on before going to AZ and the NBA.

I'm really excited about Mast though. Highly ranked internationally, holding his own as a 17 year old in the Dutch Basketball League with guys who played on Power 5 programs and were standouts on midmajors. Last month he won the DBL MVP Under 23 award and the DBL Most Improved Player award.

Wardle brought in a bunch of international kids when he first came here out of necessity because it was late in the spring recruiting season and he had a bunch of scholarships after a mass exodus, but those events are helping open the doors for better and better international prospects. I love Van Bree but he couldn't make the DBL. Gonzaga in particular has shown this can be a winning formula.

[tribecalledquest]

Link: https://247sports.com/college/missouri- ... 130085393/

Great job. FYI though, Ja'Mir Price is going to prep school this year, and then is promised a scholarship for 2020-2021.

He won't ever play a minute of basketball at Bradley.

[siudawgs]

You’re right on about Illinois State. Impossible to predict from what they have coming back. You did some great work here. Allow me to provide some edits:
Lijah Donnelly is a RS Jr (transfer from D2 UI-Springfield) He sat out last season.
In your blurb at the bottom you mention Josh Jefferson. He transferred to UW-Green Bay. Sit one, play one. Gassman also left the team to try to get a scholarship elsewhere. ILST brought him in as a PWO and he was awarded a scholarship once or twice because the Birds had one available. It is possible he returns to the team, but unlikely.

I love what we have seen from Chastain and Rey. Both high effort and energy guys. Chastain needs to be more aggressive but his high BBIQ doesn’t allow him to force anything. As far as players we know a lot of what we’re getting based off practices and such that we’ve seen. Abdou N’diaye is kind of a question mark because I’m not ready to believe what I am seeing/hearing. Back last October, we had our “Hoopfest” which kicks off the season. On several occasions Abdou brought the ball up the court and ran some offense-drove to the hole or hit a jumper. Not something I was really expecting at all. I don’t want to get to high on any of the players because a lot of them haven’t played D1 in over a year or at all.

It will be interesting to see what we get out of the incoming freshmen. Horne signed last November and had a pretty good year, taking his team to (I believe) the state semi-finals as their point/combo guard. Miller is a PWO out of Shelbyville that won Area Player of the Year averaging over 27 ppg and 10 rebounds per game. I don’t care what level that impressive. Sissoko reminds me of Mikyle McIntosh with his skill set. He needs some work but he was one of the top 10 players in Iowa. The freshman I am most excited about is Antonio Reeves out of POWERHOUSE Chicago Simeon. He is a combo guard that can shoot the hell out of the ball. I think this freshman class has the opportunity to be the best since Lee, Wills, McIntosh, and Hawkins 5 years ago.

Overall, a lot of question marks. No idea how or if it will translate to wins, but excited about the direction of the program after being handcuffed (pun intended?) to a star who was the team’s engine the past two years.

If I had to pick a way too early starting 5 and bench it would look like: Torres, Copeland, Chastain, N’Daiye, and Fisher.
Off the bench: Boyd, Idowu, Hillsman, Reeves, N’diaye, Horne, Sissoko, Bruninga (been injured), Donnely, Miller.

Probably way off but that’s what late May predictions are for!

Virtually an entirely new squad and a shakeup with the assistants. ISU is probably the biggest wild card in the MVC heading into 2019-2020. Guessing they'll be picked in the 6-8 range. Would another Thursday finish mark the end of the line for Muller?

[Adunk33]

Virtually an entirely new squad and a shakeup with the assistants. ISU is probably the biggest wild card in the MVC heading into 2019-2020. Guessing they'll be picked in the 6-8 range. Would another Thursday finish mark the end of the line for Muller?

I think a lot of fans would like that to be the case. From the Athletic Dept perspective, I'm not so sure though. Yes, inability to break the NCAA Tournament drought is thinning many people's patience. But, Muller has remained competitive and towards the top of the league in most of his time at ISU, with his first Thursday appearance being last year and caused by tie breakers and two half court buzzer beaters. The teams was snake bitten last season and it was fitting for them to go out on Friday in STL.

I don't think Muller is in tournament or bust mode quite yet, but I do think the AD told him to make sure the assistant coach hires were good ones to help steer the team in the right direction. Duhon was useless and I think was hired by his name, not his abilities. I felt for the amount of work Mullins' had to do here. He was academic coordinator, recruiting coordinator, and lead scout for opposing teams. All Duhon is credited for is that BS offense the Birds ran last year.

So, No. It's not NCAA's or bust....yet. If you ask other fans, you'll probably get a different answer.